Japan missed the chance to claim regional bragging rights after suffering a comprehensive 4-1 defeat at home to bitter rivals South Korea in the final game of the E-1 Football Championship on Saturday night.

A brace from Kim Shin Wook helped power the South Koreans (seven points) to victory and secure his team the championship title for the second time in succession, while Japan finished second (six points) in the final standings at the four-team East Asian tournament. China finished third with two points and North Korea last with one.

Yu Kobayashi fired Japan into a third-minute lead from the penalty spot, but Kim headed the South Korean's level in the 13th.

A superb free kick from Jung Woo Young put the visitors in front midway through the first half before Kim grabbed his second of the night in the 35th minute.

Japan's misery was compounded when Yeom Ki Hun's 69th-minute free kick took a deflection off Kobayashi to seal the win.

"I knew before the game that this team (South Korea) were better than Japan and they deserved to win," said Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic.

"After we scored the first goal we stopped playing and I don't know why that happened. They took advantage of that, scored twice and our balance crumbled. South Korea were the better team."

Japan got off to a dream start as Kobayashi rifled home from the spot after South Korea defender Jang Hyun Soo was adjudged to have pulled over Junya Ito in the box.

But South Korea hit back 10 minutes later when Kim connected with Kim Jin Su's cross from the left to beat Japan goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura with a towering header.

Nakamura denied Kim Shin Wook when he got down low to block the 1.96-meter striker's 19th minute effort but he could little to prevent the visitors going ahead in the 23rd.

Shintaro Kurumaya was booked for a lunging late tackle on Ju Se Jong and Jung stepped to smash the resultant free kick into the top right-hand corner.

South Korea extended their lead 10 minutes before halftime, Lee Jae Sung picking out Kim Shin Wook to steer home unmarked on the left side of the box.

In the day's first game at Tokyo's Ajinomoto Stadium, China and North Korea played out a 1-1 draw.

Wei Shihao tapped in the opener for China in the 28th minute before Jong Il Gwan equalized for North Korea with a free kick nine minutes from time.

"The objective at this tournament was to give young players experience," said China coach Marcello Lippi. "They did well so I am satisfied."